In a devastating blow to tennis fans, Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic has withdrawn from the 2025 French Open just days before the tournament’s start. The Swiss star, who captured hearts with her Tokyo 2020 triumph and resilient comeback after motherhood, announced her exit due to a recurring injury—a cruel twist for an athlete poised to reclaim her place among the sport’s elite.
As Roland Garros prepares to crown a new champion, Bencic’s absence leaves a void in a draw already missing one of its most compelling contenders.
Belinda Bencic’s emotional announcement
Bencic revealed the heartbreaking news via Instagram on Friday, disclosing that a persistent arm injury—origin sustained during her Italian Open retirement against Maria Sakkari—flared up again during practice.
“I will, unfortunately, miss Roland Garros this year,” she wrote. “Just two days ago during a morning practice, I re-aggravated the arm injury that forced me to retire in Rome.”
The timing couldn’t be worse. The 27-year-old was set to face World No. 4 Elena Rybakina in a blockbuster first-round clash, a match touted as one of the tournament’s most thrilling early showdowns. Instead, Belinda Bencic joins Matteo Berrettini (who withdrew Thursday) on the sidelines, underscoring the physical toll of tennis’ grueling calendar.
A comeback derailed
Bencic’s withdrawal stings doubly given her remarkable resurgence over the past year. After taking a six-month hiatus in 2024 to welcome her daughter, Bella, she stormed back onto the WTA Tour with a title at the Abu Dhabi Open and a quarterfinal run at Indian Wells. Her powerful baseline game and tactical brilliance seemed primed for a deep Roland Garros campaign, where she last reached the third round in 2023.
“I aimed to have a strong run here,” Bencic admitted, reflecting on her dashed Parisian ambitions.
Her absence robs the clay-court Major of a player uniquely capable of blending grit with grace—a legacy cemented by her 2021 Wimbledon final appearance and Olympic glory.
Roland Garros Impact: A draw shaken, a rivalry postponed
Belinda Bencic’s exit reshuffles the tournament’s dynamics. Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, now faces a qualifier instead of a fellow Grand Slam finalist, easing her path in a stacked bracket. For Bencic, the withdrawal halts momentum gained from her 14-6 win-loss record this season—a stark contrast to her struggles pre-motherhood.
Fans have rallied behind the Swiss star, flooding social media with support. “Heartbroken for Belinda,” tweeted one supporter. “She’s fought so hard to return to peak form.”
Road to Recovery: Grass-Court Season Beckons
Despite the setback, Bencic remains optimistic. Medical assessments confirmed the injury requires only “two weeks of complete rest” to heal fully. “
The very good news is… I will recover and heal fully,” she assured fans, targeting a return for June’s grass-court swing.
Her focus now shifts to tournaments like Berlin and Eastbourne, warm-ups for Wimbledon—a stage where she’s historically thrived.
“See you soon on the grass!” she vowed, hinting at unfinished business on her favorite surface.
Belinda Bencic’s Roland Garros withdrawal is a reminder of sport’s fragility—where years of preparation can unravel in a single practice session. Yet her resilience, forged through Olympic triumphs and the challenges of motherhood, suggests this is merely a pause, not an ending. As the tennis world turns its eyes to Paris, Bencic’s absence echoes louder than any match result. But if history is any guide, the champion’s comeback arc is far from over.